III.J 



GRAMINEAi. 



337 



The structure of the flower of Wheat has been already 

 described (p. 55). 



The following list shows in what particulars several of the 

 more frequent and more important genera of Indian grasses 

 deviate from Wheat in the form of their inflorescence and 

 structure of their flowers. 



* If empty glumes or imperfect flowers be present in the 

 spikelets, they are inserted below the single hermaphro- 

 dite flower (Tribe, Panicace^). 

 Oryza (Rice). — Panicle. Spikelets one-flowered, pedi- 

 cellate. Outer glumes minute. Stamens six. 



Zea (Maize, or Indian Corn). — Monoecious. The male 

 flowers in terminal, panicled racemes ; spikelets pedicellate. 

 The female flowers sessile, in lateral, erect spikes. 



Coix (Job's Tears). — Monoecious. The male flowers 

 loosely spicate; the female enclosed in a small involucre, 

 which becomes at length of stony hardness. 



Alopecurus. — Spicate. Spikelets nearly or quite sessile, 

 one-flowered. No pale or lodicules. 



Paspalum. — Several digitate spikes. Spikelets sessile, 

 unilateral, with one perfect flower. 



Panicwn. — Variously panicled : in section Digitaria, of 

 several digitate branches ; in Sefaria, cylindrical and spicate. 

 Each spikelet contains one perfect flower, and there are 

 three empty glumes below it. 



Penicillaria. — Cylindrical, spicate panicle. Spikelets with 

 one perfect flower, without lodicules. 



z; 



